


Flicker and Flare

by sengen35



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Angst, M/M, Romance, Smut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-30
Updated: 2017-08-30
Packaged: 2018-12-21 17:55:33
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 14,003
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11949573
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sengen35/pseuds/sengen35
Summary: In a world where you meet your soulmate with a thump of the heart and a glow, Kyungsoo wonders where he stands.





	Flicker and Flare

**Author's Note:**

> I hope I was able to do justice for your prompt. I enjoyed writing this and I hope you'll be able to enjoy it too. ♡

It's a pleasant morning.

Or as pleasant as it can be with Prince Jongin having to stomach the way his cousin is sweetly feeding one of the Duke's daughters - his soul mate.

Yes, soul mate.

The word alone sends a sour taste in Jongin's mouth and a pang of longing deep inside his chest. He looks down at his plate, choosing to blame his sudden lack of appetite at the grilled tomatoes resting on the side.

The sound of his chair scraping against the marble floors draws the attention of Sehun - as well as all of the maids waiting at the side. The attention is not unfamiliar yet at this moment, Jongin could do without it.

"Are you finished?" Sehun asks, eyeing his cousin's barely touched plate for a second before dragging it lazily upward Jongin's face.

Jongin sighs, ruffling his hair in mild frustration before eventually settling for a nod. "Yes."

With a quick step, he turns his back to his cousin before the other male follows up with another question. They grew up attached in the hip and Sehun obviously knows when something is up.

Jongin loves breakfasts.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The door opens to reveal the lavish hallway in front of him and Jongin quickly steps in, waiting for the sound of the door clicking close before spinning on his heel and facing the smaller male behind him.

The other male halts on his spot, eyes wide as he stares at the prince who is now facing him and... pouting?

"Soo." Jongin starts, lower lip jutting out even more if possible. He takes a few steps forward until he's directly in front of his childhood best friend - his servant, Kyungsoo.

"Why does she have to eat breakfast here?" Jongin starts, princely image completely disappearing as he starts to whine. "Or-or, why can't she and Sehun eat breakfast somewhere?"

Kyungsoo blinks at the royalty in front of him, surprise quickly morphing into one of amusement and fondness.

"Your highness," he starts, clearing his throat when he catches Jongin's glare. "Jongin."

"Yes, Kyungsoo?"

"You know Prince Sehun has every right to eat his breakfast at the royal table or anywhere he deems to be." he begins, ignoring the frown being sent his way. He opens his mouth again, pointedly ignoring the look Jongin sends him. "And she is your highness' soul mate."

Jongin clamps his mouth shut, giving the stink eye at the smaller male and turning around, planning to head back to his room and sulk.

"Your highness." Kyungsoo calls from behind him. "Prince Jongin."

Jongin does not turn around, his steps quickening as they climb a set of stairs and finally to the familiar hallway where his room is located.  Twisting the knob, he walks inside, not bothering to close the door.

"I could get in trouble if you keep doing things your way, your highness." Kyungsoo says softly as he enters the prince's room, slowly shutting the door close.

At this, Jongin feels himself shrink, casting an apologetic glance at the smaller male.

Kyungsoo flashes at the attention, pressing both his hands on his chest and shaking his head. "I did not mean it like-"

"No, it's alright, Kyungsoo." Jongin cuts him off, his shoulders drooping as he plops himself down on his bed. "I keep ignoring the rules knowing you'll be the one in trouble and not me."

Kyungsoo only nods, stepping beside the door and pressing his back against the wall.

A few beats of silence pass before Jongin turns to look at him, eyes warm behind his lashes. "Forgive me?"

There's a second of deafening silence, one where Kyungsoo holds his breath and releases it loudly. "Your highness!"

At the loud voice, Jongin startles and it makes Kyungsoo panic even more.

"I-I mean, your highness should-should not be apologizing to servants like myself." Kyungsoo stammers, bowing his head down and blinking rapidly at the floor in an attempt to get his mind calm. "I apologize for scaring you, my prince."

Jongin just stares at him, eyes wide a second ago softening to their normal size. Sighing, he runs a hand through his hair and gestures with his hand for Kyungsoo to sit down at the couch, an offer which the latter quickly denies.

Giving up, Jongin turns his head towards the window where the castle's garden can be seen. It's a little obscured by the sun's blinding rays but he could still clearly see a hint of red from where the roses are in full bloom.

"When do you think I'll meet my soul mate?" Jongin whispers out of the blue, words carried softly by the wind from the open frame.

Kyungsoo feels a pang of hurt somewhere in his left chest but he ignores it in favor of admiring the beauty in front of him. Jongin looks ethereal shrouded by the sunlight from behind. He's so lost in staring he does not realize when Jongin turned his head to his direction, a curious gaze draped on him.

"Soo?"

Kyungsoo flinches, red blooming on his cheeks at being caught staring. "Your highness?"

Jongin only smiles, shakes his head and looks outside again. He sees the red roses clearer this time and thinks how alike they are to the red adorning the apple of Kyungsoo's cheeks.

_Badump!_

 

 

 

 

 

 

Soul mates exist.

This has been taught to Jongin and all of his classmates when he was still a mere kid.

The tutor was a kind lady, always patient with all of the bratty royals especially with Jongin and Sehun. They like her, especially when she starts talking about how magical the feeling is when you finally find the one - your soul mate.

But like everything else in their world, the topic of soul mates has its own rules.

A royal's soul mate can only come from a royal bloodline as well.

This one simple rule erases all possibility of a royal falling in love with a commoner - although an exemption is made when one's soul mate is gone. They are free to roam, to fall in love with whomever but nothing would ever get rid of the sinking feeling deep inside.

"How do you know you've found your soul mate?" little Jongin asks one day, crumbs from where he is holding his biscuit falling off the carpeted floor.

The queen does not mind, choosing to wipe the smudge of marmalade on her son's lip and smiling fondly.

"It's when you feel this," she starts, sliding her palm downwards and pressing it to Jongin's chest, "starts beating triple fast and you feel warm all over, like you're about to explode in happiness."

The little prince seems more scared than amazed, clutching at his chest. "But I don't want to explode."

The king's laughter echoes inside the room making the queen smile fondly at her family.

"Or," the king starts once he's managed to calm down. "you will be able to see your mark glow."

Jongin's wide eyes stares curiously at his father.

The King's smile is warm as he ruffles Jongin's hair. "Your soul mate's mark will glow as well, the same time your heart starts beating like crazy."

At this, the king tilts his head at the direction of Jongin's mother, his smile tender as he gazes lovingly at the woman. The queen clears her throat, tugging Jongin into a hug and humming his son's favorite lullaby.

Jongin blinks at this, pouting and rubbing at his chest where a faint lining of gold rests unblemished.

_Royals can only be soul mates with Royals._

That is the rule.

 

 

 

 

 

Jongin thinks it's too soon when the royal family announces Sehun's wedding with his soul mate.

The castle buzzes with excitement, gold and ivory white linens being hauled at various parts of the place. It makes Jongin dizzy so he's taken to napping at the garden where the excitement of the coming wedding blurs into the background.

A basket is set down beside Jongin and the prince looks up to see Kyungsoo's silhouette towering over him.

"I brought you snacks, your highness." Kyungsoo says softly, stepping away after and standing a few feet from where Jongin is lounging on the blanket laden grass.

_Badump!_

Warmth blossoms inside Jongin's chest, tickling and suffocating at the same time.

Kyungsoo was assigned as his personal servant, chosen by his mother when she took notice of how close his son had been with his childhood playmate, a mere son of one of their cook. He knows all of this, the duty bestowed upon his closest friend yet he could not help but feel happy at random moments like this.

"Come sit with me." he says after a minute of simply looking at the smaller male. He tears his gaze away, bowing his head down and pretending to be busy rummaging inside the basket, covering his face with his fringe. His cheeks are hot and he is determined on blaming it at the heat of the sun.

Kyungsoo perks up at the invite, cautiously looking around at the area. When he deems it safe, he slowly sits down at the blanket, scooting closer to the prince.

Jongin notices this of course and his cheeks grows even warmer if possible, almost dropping the plate of biscuits if not for Kyungsoo's hand steadying it.

"Are you not feeling well?" Kyungsoo asks softly, taking the plate from Jongin's hand and setting it down. He directs his worried gaze at Jongin, hand coming up to take the latter's temperature but Jongin simply shakes his head, beating Kyungsoo and placing his own palm against his forehead.

"I'm fine." Jongin nods, grinning at Kyungsoo and emptying out the contents of the basket. 

Kyungsoo does not probe further, simply taking a biscuit and lathering it with cream cheese - Jongin's favorite snack.

Jongin takes it gratefully, nudging Kyungsoo to eat as well. When the smaller male shakes his head, Jongin groans and takes it upon himself to grab a biscuit, putting a dollop of marmalade on top of it and placing it in front of Kyungsoo.

The action renders Kyungsoo speechless and he lifts a hand to take it from Jongin's when the latter shakes his head. This paints a faint pink on both of the male's cheeks, Kyungsoo hesitantly opening his mouth and letting Jongin feed him.

Kyungsoo immediately looks away, munching on the treat and suddenly very interested at the red bannister hanging at one of the castle's walls. Beside him, Jongin stares at his hand, still suspended midair from where Kyungsoo ate the biscuit. He could feel his chest tighten and then suddenly remembers how to breathe, dropping his hand back down at his lap and staring at it incredulously.

"Prince Sehun must be very excited." Kyungsoo mumbles after he feels himself calm enough to talk.

Jongin snorts at this and Kyungsoo turns his head, curiously eyeing the prince beside him.

"Ecstatic is probably the right word." Jongin drawls out, reaching out to pour himself some tea to which Kyungsoo beats him. Jongin sighs, leaning back on his hands and staring up at the sky. "Every time I see him, he can't shut up about how great he feels and if he's not talking, he'll have this disgusting look on his face."

Kyungsoo hands him the tea cup, one brow slightly raised in amusement.

Jongin accepts it gratefully, expression still disgruntled. "He's all smiley now and I mean it's not a bad thing but it's not just Sehun. You understand me, right, Kyungsoo?"

Taking a deep breath, Kyungsoo only nods, folding his hands on his lap. "I think it's wonderful though."

Jongin almost chokes on his cup, setting it down and blinking at Kyungsoo. "What?"

Kyungsoo suddenly looks shy, folding in on himself and looking at the roses in full bloom in front of them. "I think it's wonderful." he repeats, fingers splaying and playing with themselves. "Being in love, I mean."

And then Kyungsoo turns his head, flashing a smile at Jongin's direction. There's a lone red petal sticking out on his hair, probably because of the wind. Jongin, with tea at the corner of his mouth, thinks he looks utterly beautiful like this.

_Badump!_

 

 

 

 

 

 

The day of Sehun's wedding comes sooner rather than later and Jongin finds himself pacing inside his room, tugging at the bow on his neck in nervousness. He's going to be his cousin's best man and no matter how many rehearsals he's gone, he still thinks he'll up end ruining the wedding in some way.

There's a soft knock on his door before it opens a little, Kyungsoo's head peeking in. "It's almost time to go, your highness."

Taking a deep breath, he attempts one last time to smooth down the front of his dress shirt, successfully doing the opposite instead.

Kyungsoo bites down a smile, the prince's nervousness almost palpable. He opens the door a little wider and slips in, pushing back until it clicks close.

"Your highness," he whispers, stepping closer and bowing slightly. Jongin eyes him before nodding, a sigh escaping once again as he lets his hands fall down on his sides.

Kyungsoo straightens up, taking another step closer and taking it upon himself to fix the prince's clothes, and to calm him down if possible.

"You're not the one getting married, are you?" he jokes, tightening the bow on the prince's neck and glancing at him with mild amusement.

Instead of laughing, Jongin feels himself sweat even more, the idea of getting married suddenly taking every space inside his brain.

"Breathe, your highness." Kyungsoo whispers and, feeling suddenly daring, lifts a hand to press two fingers on the taller's forehead.

Jongin blinks, his eyes following Kyungsoo's hand as the latter drops it to his side, eyes downcast.

"Thank you, Soo." he smiles, standing straight. "My cousin better be my best man in my own wedding."

It was meant to be a joke, but as they leave the room and the door closes, Jongin could not help but cast a side glance at the smaller male beside him.

Yes, Sehun better be his best man.

"Your highness?"

Jongin startles, meeting Kyungsoo's worried gaze. "Let's go?"

Kyungsoo nods, worry still evident at the way his forehead creases but he chooses to not to voice it out, simply following Jongin as they make their way out of the castle.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The wedding flies like a breeze.

Jongin thinks it's the opposite, as he stands together with his family and some more royalties inside the church. He sees the people from their kingdom way at the back when he cranes his neck, clapping their hands enthusiastically for the prince's good fortune.

There's sweat gathering at the lining of his shirt's collar and he fights off a grimace. Sehun and his soul mate - his wife - waves at the people, bright smiles on their face and so obviously in love. Jongin feels uncomfortable and all he wants is to bolt right out of his seat and find Kyungsoo.

The thought makes him halt, wondering why Kyungsoo's face is the first thing he thinks of.

The church bells rings repeatedly as the newlywed couple walks down the aisle, preparing to greet and thank the people who waited outside.

Jongin stands in his place, raised hands frozen in place as he racks his brain for a reason. Of course he's going to think of Kyungsoo, he is his best friend after all.

"Jongin?"

He meets his mother's gaze and he quickly flashes a smile, lowering his hands down.

When the people starts milling about as the wedding comes to an end does Jongin finally looks around. He feels frustration creep up on him, not being able to see Kyungsoo anywhere.

He walks at the edge of the bench, just beside the aisle where the red carpet still rests and continues looking around. The children from outside starts showering the couple with pale pink rose petals and, amidst all that, Jongin meets Kyungsoo's eyes from the opposite side.

Time seems to slow down as Jongin watches Kyungsoo visibly relax, a soft smile coming up and it's all directed at Jongin.

_Badump!_

Jongin unconsciously presses a hand to his chest, feeling his heart beat trip on its own multiple times.

"Your highness?"

Jongin blinks, finding Kyungsoo in front of him. The petals are still flying everywhere, one catching on Kyungsoo's long lashes.

Jongin does not think as he reaches out, brushing the petal away and then as if catching himself, he quickly looks at the side where the entrance is.

He completely misses the pink stain on Kyungsoo's cheeks.

 

 

 

 

 

 

It has not been a week since Sehun's wedding but the castle is once more buzzing with excitement (and people) as the annual royal gathering looms near.

A gathering attended by those from the royal family from different kingdoms are held annually and this year, Jongin s kingdom was chosen as host for the formal event. It is a social event where the royals are given a chance to mingle with others from the same status and, hopefully, be able to find their soul mates. Jongin thinks it s a waste of time but he could not help being anxious as well, wondering if he would be able to find his other half.

Too lost in his thoughts, he fails to see anything in front of him not until he feels something collide against his shoulder. The maid profusely apologizes to Jongin, not being able to see the prince from the layers of cloth she's holding.

Jongin quickly brushes it off, flashing a small smile at the maid to ease her worry. It seems to do the trick as the maid quickly scurries off, cheeks darker than before.

With more care, he walks slower, keeping an eye and taking it upon himself to avoid the servants  milling in and out of the hallway. He's about to exit the castle and head to the garden when he sees a familiar mop of head carrying a tower of gold cloth.

"Kyungsoo?"

The male freezes and Kyungsoo's eyes peek from above the layers of cloth, obviously making an effort at trying to see Jongin.

"Your highness." Kyungsoo wheezes out, bouncing the cloth in his hand to balance it better only for the top layer to sway to the side.

Closing his eyes and staying rigid, he waits for everything to topple to the ground only to feel arms supporting his .

Jongin stares down at him in amusement when he opens his eyes, the layers of cloth in his hand still haphazardly lying in a dangerous position. He stays still, watching Jongin finally let go of his arms and fix his hold on the cloths.

"Hey," Jongin starts, staring at someone past Kyungsoo s shoulder. "Can you please take these to the ball room?"

Kyungsoo hears rushed footsteps before one of the castle s guard comes into view. Jongin takes the layers of cloth from his arm, gingerly transferring them to the guard s awaiting arms and fixing them before waving him off.

"I was doing fine." He mumbles, one hand rubbing his arm as he looks down at the floor. "You need not do that, your highness."

Jongin snorts. "Nonsense. I could barely see you from the mountain of cloth you were carrying."

Kyungsoo feels his face warm up even more so he keeps his head down. "The staff was short of people  I could not sit by and watch."

The soft tone of Kyungsoo's voice makes Jongin look at his direction, an equally soft smile on his face when he sees the tip of Kyungsoo's ears go red.

"Ah, what do I do with you?" he whispers to himself, reaching out a hand and ruffling Kyungsoo's hair.

The touch makes Kyungsoo look up, catching the smile on the prince's face and making his cheeks flush even redder.

"Do you want to go riding with me?" Jongin blurts out, the idea coming out of the blue after being caught off guard by Kyungsoo's flushed face.

As quickly as it had come, the red on Kyungsoo's face drains completely, his complexion getting impossible paler.

"Kyungsoo?"

"I-I do not know how to r-ride a horse, young master." Kyungsoo manages to get out, eyes not meeting Jongin's worried ones.

The confession makes Jongin halt, brain working double time at the possibilities that could spring out at this revelation. He fights off a grin at the idea he comes up with, instead choosing to clear his throat and pretend to be nonchalant.

"Then I ll teach you." The prince confidently says, turning away slightly to hide the sudden gleam in his eyes.

"B-But your highness." Kyungsoo starts, voice an octave higher in panic. "I don't think that's a good-"

Jongin does not let him finish, catching Kyungsoo's hand with his own and tugging him to the direction of the stables. "Come on."

Kyungsoo feels his mouth go dry, nervous for two reasons: one, he's about to fall on his bum later and two, the prince is holding his hand.

_Badump!_

Their steps get lost at the hundreds of feet padding softly in different directions and Kyungsoo's so busy with watching the floor he almost trips and bumps into Jongin's back when the prince suddenly stops walking.

"Your highness!" a squeak followed by a few thumping sounds startles Kyungsoo and he quickly pulls his hand back from the prince's hold just as a boy appears in front of them.

"Can you ready Comet for me?" Jongin starts, looking around until his eyes land on a particular black horse at the far side. "Who's that?"

The boy, looking like he's gain some semblance of calmness, follows Jongin's stare. "He's got no name yet, your highness; arrived yesterday as part of the trade from the neighboring kingdom."

"What do you think, Kyungsoo?" Jongin suddenly asks, turning to face Kyungsoo who only looks at him in confusion. "Do you want to name him?"

It was a simple question but the way Kyungsoo's eyes light up at the prospect of giving the horse a name renders Jongin speechless. Kyungsoo looks like Jongin has just given him the world.

Jongin would give Kyungsoo the world.

The prince shakes his head at the thought, forcing a cough behind his hand and gesturing for the stable boy to lead them closer. He sneaks a look at his personal servant, feeling his heart race at the glow on his cheeks, happiness radiating as they stand in front of the animal who's now staring curiously at them.

Kyungsoo reaches out a slightly trembling hand, almost touching the horse's head when he stops, looking up at Jongin as if asking for permission.

Without giving it much thought, the prince lifts his own hand, cradling Kyungsoo's outstretched one and slowly leading them forward until Kyungsoo's palm is pressed right against the horse's head.

"It's itchy." Kyungsoo mumbles but the way his lips form into a grin and how his fingers flex ever so slightly to rub at the horse's coat tells he does not mind it one bit.

Jongin's too busy admiring Kyungsoo's reaction and feeling the warmth from their touching hands, completely forgetting the stable boy with them.

"Should I take him out, your highness?" the boy asks, eyes looking back and forth between Kyungsoo and the prince who pulls his hand back to his side. "He's quite tame, a really gentle one."

_He sounds perfect for Kyungsoo._  Jongin thinks, glancing at the way Kyungsoo takes a step closer, cradling the horse's face with both of his hands now.

"Yes." Jongin nods, backing away and tugging Kyungsoo to his side.

"Thought of a name yet?" Jongin asks, looking down at Kyungsoo who is digging his upper teeth against plush bottom lip.

"Can I really name him?" Kyungsoo asks, voice small. "Would your Majesty be okay with it?"

Jongin blinks, wondering why his father is suddenly brought in at the conversation. "Father adores you."

The compliment makes Kyungsoo breathe out a sigh of relief, smiling and then nodding."I think I have name for him."

There's a loud sound from where the gates are being opened, the horse trotting forward slowly - cautiously.

Mango.

 

 

 

 

 

 

It has been five minutes of Jongin laughing and Kyungsoo pouting, the former leading the horse- Mango- out to the courtyard.

"It's a cute name." Kyungsoo would whisper once in a while, cheeks the color of ripe apples in embarrassment and a hint of annoyance.

"It is." Jongin would agree every time and chuckle some more.

Kyungsoo fakes a frown, hiding his own smile at the way Jongin's eyes would crinkle every time he laughs. Wrinkling his nose, he glanced at the small number of guards walking a little ways behind them, keeping watch over the prince. 

"You don't need to follow us while riding." Jongin waves at the guard, stopping beside a small rock and fixing Mango's reins. "We'll just be going easy around the yard."

The guards, albeit hesitantly, nod their heads and stand still at the side.

Kyungsoo, not knowing what to do next, looks up at Jongin who is already staring expectantly at him.

"Yes, your highness?" the smaller male asks, unsure of what he is asking in the first place.

"I told you I m going to teach you, did I not?" Jongin answers calmly, holding the horse's reins and tilting his head at Kyungsoo. "Come on."

Shock paints Kyungsoo a pale white, one foot taking a step back.

It should not be funny but somehow, it is to Jongin and he has to press his lips together to avoid the smile threatening to come up on his face.

"It's not hard, I promise." the prince coaxes, loosely holding the rein with one hand while the other extends towards Kyungsoo. "Come on."

Kyungsoo does not budge, eyeing the prince's outstretched hand with a look of horror. It is both a funny and cute sight for Jongin who wiggles his fingers a bit, urging the smaller male to come closer.

After almost what seemed like forever, Kyungsoo hesitantly takes a step closer to Jongin. Kyungsoo's limbs are shaky and he feels like falling flat on the grass or maybe straight into the prince's arms.

The thought catches Kyungsoo off guard and he sees the ground come closer even before he realizes his knees have buckled from shock.

Closing his eyes in reflex, he feels his own arms come up to cushion his fall except he does not feel solid ground meeting his body but warm arms around him. He looks up, wide eyes blinded by the grin on Jongin's face as the prince looks down at him.

"I'm sorry, your highness!" Kyungsoo sputters, quickly leaping off Jongin's embrace and bowing repeatedly. "I was careless. I did not mean to-"

"Are you fine?" Jongin cuts him off, eyes scanning Kyungsoo from head to toe, a spark of worry on the prince's eyes.

Kyungsoo breathes deep, nodding before casting his eyes downwards. There is silence for a few seconds before Mango breaks it, making a noise that sounded too much like a snort to Kyungsoo's ears.

"Very well," Jongin starts, tugging the horse closer until they're in front of Kyungsoo. "Shall we start try again?"

Kyungsoo swallows nervously and nods slowly, not wanting to trouble the prince any longer from being stubborn. He is, after all, Jongin's servant and should be heeding every request from the prince even though he knows Jongin would think otherwise.

Reaching out a hand, he places his palm on Mango's body, smoothening the coat slowly before the realization that he needs to climb over the horse sinks in. He jumps off a little, face reddening at every attempt knowing he is embarrassing himself in front of his best friend - the prince.

"We'll still be here after a year if you keep up trying to mount the horse by jumping." Jongin chortles from the side. He nudges Kyungsoo, pleased at the redness on the boy's cheeks as he faces him.

Securing the rope on his arm, he goes down on one knee, placing both palms facing upwards over it. "Here."

Kyungsoo blanches, looking around in panic before tugging at the prince's hands. "Your highness - _Jongin_ , please stand up. "

Jongin blinks, following Kyungsoo's frantic gaze and looking around as well. He quickly catches up to Kyungsoo's train of thoughts and shakes his head. "No one's going to tell. You need to step here so I could help you get up."

The prince's words does little to nothing to assure Kyungsoo who pales when he sees the guards lining at the side, eyebrows visibly shooting up at the scene. Jongin follows his gaze and grins lopsidedly which makes the guards look away, pretending to be unaware of the situation in front of them.

Kyungsoo does not seem to be snapping out of his panicky state any time soon so Jongin takes it upon himself to wrap his hand on the smaller's ankle and pull forward.

This seems to work as Kyungsoo stumbles forward, nearly toppling Jongin over in the process.

"I'm sorry, your highness." Kyungsoo mumbles, head low as he tries pulling his foot from where Jongin is still holding on to his ankles.

"Don't worry about it, Soo." Jongin whispers, leaning forward and catching Kyungsoo's eyes. "I promise, everything will be fine."

At this, Kyungsoo lifts his head and meets Jongin's gaze, bottom lip red from the constant anxiety biting. "Okay."

Jongin smiles widely, tugging Kyungsoo forward again who slowly follows, hesitantly lifting his right leg and placing his foot down on Jongin's palms.

"Ready?"

Kyungsoo waits a beat before nodding, putting all his weight on one foot before shakily lifting himself up. He glances at Jongin's face briefly before lifting his other leg over Mango.

Jongin stays at the side, making sure Kyungsoo is settled properly before clapping loudly. It effectively makes Kyungsoo blush, hands tightly holding on to the reins in front of him.

He does not expect it, however, when Jongin wedges a foot on the stirrup, easily lifting himself off the ground and raising his other leg over the horse. There's a few fumbling, considerably less than Kyungsoo, before Jongin is comfortably settled behind the smaller male, chest warm against Kyungsoo's back.

"Your highness?" Kyungsoo asks, not really knowing what question he is posing, only confusion at what is happening.

A soft _yes?_ is the prince's response, the word hitting Kyungsoo's nape in the form of a hot breath.

There is silence, Kyungsoo not knowing what question to ask or not having the courage to ask. Jongin, thankfully, senses the unspoken and speaks up. "I figured it would be a lot less scary for you if I ride with you the first time."

Kyungsoo is given no time to respond though when Jongin's arms come up from behind, hands taking a hold of the rein loosely held by Kyungsoo.

"Let's start slow, okay?" Jongin whispers, breath hot against Kyungsoo's cheek when the prince leans forward ever so slightly, chest now pressed against the smaller's back.

Kyungsoo could only nod, too wound up with nervousness and something else. He feels Jongin tug at the reins, a foot nudging Mango to finally move and then he's bouncing, shoulders tensing at the sudden movement.

"Relax." Jongin chuckles.

It takes a few more minutes, a few more squeaks every time Mango trots a little faster, before Kyungsoo finally lets his shoulders sag.

There is a smile on Jongin's face when he feels Kyungsoo finally lean his back against his front and he wonders if Kyungsoo could feel his heart beat galloping wildly inside his chest.

Kyungsoo, meanwhile, wonders the same thing.

_Badump!_

 

 

 

 

 

 

The great hall looks exceptionally beautiful with drapes of gold, pink and peach lining the walls. A dozen or so table were set up at the sides, pale red with a hint of gold at the edges covering each one. The picture of a maple leaf decorates every corner, the Kim's royal crest and family symbol.

Kyungsoo could only sigh in awe, staring at the basket of roses he is asked to deliver to one of the helpers for the ball later that night.

"Jongin, you should see the great hall!" Kyungsoo gushes out excitedly, closing the door of the prince's room softly. "It looks gorgeous with the colors the queen has chosen!"

There are more words spilling out from the servant's mouth - praises, Jongin assumes  - as he momentarily forgets his role in the castle. This is Jongin's favorite Kyungsoo, his best friend and not his personal servant.

"Do you want to come with me to the ball?" Jongin asks out of the blue, effectively startling Kyungsoo and making him freeze. "I mean, it's not necessary but people expect me to have a partner, you know? And I figured my best friend would be the best choice, right?"

The prince waits expectantly, his smile anxious and dropping by the second when Kyungsoo only stands there, silent.

"Jongin," Kyungsoo starts, avoiding Jongin's eyes. "You know you can't do that."

Jongin opens his mouth to say more but Kyungsoo beats him to it, a depreciating smile on his face. Jongin hates it. "I'm your personal servant."

Those words are uttered softly and it makes Jongin deflate, swallowing his argument and nodding in defeat. "Okay."

"But on the brighter side," Kyungsoo says abruptly, voice a bit higher that tells Jongin he's faking it. "Your suit will have gold and pink on it and I just know you'll look gorgeous in it."

There is a blush adorning Kyungsoo's cheeks when Jongin looks up, a pretty pale pink with darker hues near the apple, and it makes a small smile come up on his face.

Quite the contrary, Jongin thinks pink suits Kyungsoo the best.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kyungsoo may not be able to go to the ball with Jongin but he's still lucky to be in the great hall, standing by the side a few steps away from the prince in case he needed anything.

He catches Jongin mouthing something that looks like _I'm bored_ and he fights off a laugh, not wanting to embarrass himself while the King is giving his welcoming speech. He settles for looking around, eyes shining as he takes in the view and the royals gathered in one place.

There is a resounding applause when the King finishes his speech, the people finally moving about and mingling with the others guests.

"Can I go back to my room?" Jongin whispers, taking his place beside Kyungsoo who makes a face at him in response.

"You need to go meet the other royals." Kyungsoo chides, shooting the floor a look where some pairs have gathered to start dancing. "I can ask the King later to have you retire early, if you want."

Jongin sighs and smiles, "Thank you, Soo."

So Kyungsoo stays by Jongin's side, watching the prince be his charming self as he entertains short talks with a duke, a few other royals and a princess named Joohyun who Kyungsoo thinks is as charming as Jongin, and that's saying something.

"Hello." a voice chirps in and both Kyungsoo and Jongin looks at a young male grinning widely at them.

"Hello." Jongin greets back, his smile in place at once.

"I'm Baekhyun, third in line to inherit the throne from King Byun." the other male, Baekhyun, cheerfully introduces himself.

The way the other prince speaks coaxes a laugh out of Jongin, a sincere one, Kyungsoo notes. "I'm Jongin, heir to the throne of, _well_ , the Kim Family."

Baekhyun laughs good naturedly in response and Kyungsoo chooses to tune out the rest of the conversation, taking the time to study the other prince instead.

Baekhyun is short, probably the same height as him, Kyungsoo notes. He has a mop of black hair suavely parted at the side with a few locks falling over his forehead which is charming in its own way. With a minute squint of his eyes, Kyungsoo takes notice of the pale red blush on the edges of the other's eyes, an art not many can pull off. All in all, Baekhyun is handsome with just the slightest hint of pretty and it paints a vague green in Kyungsoo's mind.

"This is Kyungsoo," Jongin's voice startles him out of his own thoughts, eyes meeting Baekhyun's. "He's my personal servant."

The words are nothing but the truth but somehow, it stings, lasting for only a minute before Jongin follows with a _He's also my best friend_ that soothes the pain away.

Kyungsoo bows quickly, taking a step back which makes Baekhyun laugh, guffaw, really but he still manages to look incredibly amazing even with his mouth wide open.

"You two must be very close then." Baekhyun says and Jongin quickly nods in agreement.

The two princes engage in another conversation as they walk, Kyungsoo lagging a few steps behind. He does not listen to the conversation but he does take in every expression on Jongin's face, every laugh and every curve of his lips as Baekhyun tells him another one of his jokes.

Something clenches inside his chest, watching the way Jongin's eyes closes and curves as he laughs at something Baekhyun has said. It's both beautiful and painful, watching Jongin be carefree with others. The thought makes Kyungsoo berate himself, wondering when did he became this selfish over the prince.

With every laugh, the sting grows until Kyungsoo feels his heart lodge at his throat, too full of ache. The image of Jongin smiling and laughing with the other prince seems to be getting farther away and he struggles to keep the distance.

"Kyungsoo?"

Jongin's worried gaze meets his, glazed eyes from before coming into focus. He sees Baekhyun's worry glances as well and the image does not sit well with him, knowing the other prince did nothing wrong.

"Are you fine?" Jongin asks, coming closer and lifting his hand to press his palm against the smaller's forehead.

"I am fine, your highness." Kyungsoo is quick to take a step back, Jongin's touch fire hot against his skin.

Jongin does not seem to believe him but he nods his head anyway, convincing Baekhyun to sit down at one of the plush chairs placed at different parts of the castle so that Kyungsoo could take a rest as well.

Kyungsoo is thankful when he catches sight of the King, excusing himself from Jongin's presence and quickly making his way towards Jongin's father.

"Your majesty." Kyungsoo starts, bowing in greeting.

"Kyungsoo." the King's gruff voice is warm, smiling down at him as he lifts his head. "Are you enjoying the night? Jongin is not causing you problems, is he?"

Kyungsoo returns the smile. "No, your majesty. Prince Jongin has been very well behaved tonight."

The King chuckles, shooting an amused look at his Queen beside him.

"My King," Kyungsoo starts again. "I came here to ask for your permission if the prince could retire early tonight, he's been complaining-"

"Ah, that boy." the King interrupts Kyungsoo, shaking his head with an amused smile. "He's never really one for occasions like this."

Kyungsoo could only nod, a small smile on his face as well.

"Of course, of course." the King nods. "Tell my son he can do what he pleases."

Kyungsoo bows his head, walking slowly back to where the two princes are still talking. They are so immersed with their conversation Jongin barely notices Kyungsoo's return.

"My prince," Kyungsoo interrupts, throwing an apologetic glance at the princes. Jongin cocks his head, a smile on his face and Kyungsoo leans forward, whispering.

When he's done, Jongin shoots him a look of relief before going back to his conversation with Baekhyun.

Kyungsoo could only go back to the side, tuning out the rest of the night.

 

 

 

 

 

 

"I think my jaw is going to fall off." Jongin complains, throwing his body on the bed.

Kyungsoo shakes his head, a small smile playing on his lips as he closes the door of Jongin's room.

"I'm sure that is not true." Kyungsoo says, standing in front of the bed where Jongin has rolled onto his back, a pout on his lips as he looks at Kyungsoo. "Your jaw looks perfectly fine to me."

"Soo." the prince whines and Kyungsoo chuckles, bending down to take the former's shoes off to which Jongin declines.

"I did not even get to dance." Jongin mumbles, eyes wide and pitiful as he stares Kyungsoo down.

"I," Kyungsoo starts, at loss for words. "I'm sorry, your highness."

"Why are you apologizing?" Jongin whines again, kicking his legs before staying still. He glances up at the ceiling and sighs, deep in thought.

Kyungsoo could only stand in the middle of the room, biting at his lip and wondering what to do. He's torn between wanting to console the young heir or to stay quiet, not wanting to admit that he's quite relieved Jongin was not able to dance with anyone.

_So selfish_. Kyungsoo thinks. _I am selfish_.

The silence stretches on for another minute or two before Jongin mumbles a low _hey._

Breaking away from his thoughts, Kyungsoo simply tilts his head to show that he is listening.

Jongin does not say anything for the next few seconds, simply sitting up and looking at Kyungsoo with something undecipherable.

"Jongin?"

Kyungsoo furrows his brows, watching Jongin open his mouth a few times, struggling with his next words.

"Dance with me."

_Badump!_

The words are uttered softly but it resounds loud and clear to both of their ears. It's something between a request and an order, a demand and a plea lost amidst the clarity of the prince's words.

Unconsciously, Kyungsoo raises his hand to palm at his chest, eyes unable to look away from Jongin.

The prince is not one to give up as well, simply matching Kyungsoo's stare with his own. "Dance with me."

This time, Kyungsoo laughs, pressing his palm harder against his chest. He does not stop laughing, not until he feels the need to breathe when his lungs starts to strain. With this comes the semblance of reality, his face immediately reddening in embarrassment.

"Won't you dance with me?" Jongin asks once more, his courage dwindling with each passing tick of the clock.

Kyungsoo feels the _No_ bubbling up in his throat but it does not come out, instead, his duty as the prince's servant comes to play.

"As you wish, my prince."

The smaller male makes to move forward when Jongin raises a hand, effectively stopping him. Kyungsoo eyes the other with confusion.

"I want you to dance with me because you want to." Jongin says weakly, dropping his hand and sighing.

"Your highness, I'm but your servant and it will be-"

"Nothing of that sort." Jongin cuts him off, palm curling into a fist. The prince lifts his head, eyes bright with determination. "In here, I am just Jongin and you are Kyungsoo. There is no prince and there is no servant."

Kyungsoo's breath hitches, eyes now unable to meet the prince's.

"I will understand." Jongin says softly, finally tearing his gaze away from Kyungsoo and training it to the floor instead. "So will you dance with me?"

Jongin weakly turns his palm upwards, not really expecting for the other male to say yes to his request. He already knows the answer yet it does not stop the slight pang of hurt in his chest.

Jongin sighs, the fingers on his outstretched hand shaking. Just before he curls them into a fist, a warm palm covers his own - shaky but warm.

With bated breath, Jongin slowly looks up and meets Kyungsoo's gaze. The other male has his lip in between his teeth, anxiously biting at them but there is warmth in his gaze. It makes Jongin smile in return, enclosing Kyungsoo's hand with his own.

Jongin does not let go of Kyungsoo's hand even when he stands up, simply tightening his hold and taking one step closer towards the other.

There is the thought of running away when Kyungsoo feels the prince's warmth in front of him. They're so close Kyungsoo almost thinks he can hear the prince's heartbeat or maybe it was his own rapidly beating for the male in front of him.

Kyungsoo feels his breathing stop when he feels the prince's other hand on his waist, his hand being held by Jongin twitching in response.

Jongin smiles and nudges Kyungsoo's shoes with his own."Your other hand."

Kyungsoo raises his arm slowly, trying to placate his own nerves just as he gingerly places his other palm on the prince's shoulder.

"But we have no music." Kyungsoo protests weakly when he feels Jongin slowly start to sway them from side to side. As soon as the words leave him, Kyungsoo looks down at their feet and resists the urge to hit himself on the head for being so brash.

"It's okay." Jongin answers and the tone of his voice makes Kyungsoo think the prince is smiling. "We can just follow the beat of my heart."

Kyungsoo lifts his head at the words, eyes wide as he looks at Jongin who only sports a wide grin. The prince looks so content, as if he wishes nothing more than where he is right now, dancing with a lowly servant to the beat of their own hearts.

_Badump!_

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jongin walks through the door of his father's personal library, squinting his eyes at the dimly lit room. It's been such a long time since he's visited the room, practically remembering nothing about the inside. Truth be told, he would not have entered if he was not so bored.

Casting the curtain to the side, he sighs in relief, able to see much better with the help of the sunlight streaming through the huge window.

The first thing he notices are the huge paintings lining the wall. Jongin recognizes a portrait of them - the King, the Queen and him. It makes him smile, eyeing the next frames and then stopping at one particular portrait.

There are two people in it, a man and a woman, both smiling wide. Jongin does not recognize them but somehow, the smiles on their faces look familiar. There are numerous red roses all over the canvas, both of their crowns adorned with roses made of gold. Walking closer, he lifts a hand, tracing their faces in the air.

He feels the coming headache from trying to remember too much so Jongin gives up for the time being, walking back to the window to drag the curtains down. He almost does except he sees two figures below, walking side by side towards the garden. The other male turns his head and Jongin clearly sees the way Kyungsoo's mouth opens to form a laugh.

He recognizes the other male as Yixing, one of their young gardeners. They seem to be engrossed in whatever they are talking about as Kyungsoo laughs harder, placing a hand on Yixing's shoulder to steady himself.

Jongin remembers the way Kyungsoo's hand felt on his shoulder when they danced the night away after the ball. It has been a few days and yet Jongin could still feel the warmth of Kyungsoo's palm.

The memory brings along a bag of envy as he watches Yixing and Kyungsoo disappear behind the large bushes, their laughter mocking Jongin when he replays it inside his head.

The colors of green slowly turns to red as he angrily pulls the curtain close, briskly walking out of the room.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kyungsoo watches Yixing walk away, dropping the smile on his face when the other male disappears around the corner.

He starts to walk back towards the prince's room, remembering his talk with Yixing earlier that afternoon. The memory earns him a sigh, glancing at the moon visible at every window he passes by. His nerves edges on going haywire, the echo of his footsteps sounding like a ticking bomb as he comes closer to Jongin's room.

The door of the prince's room comes to view and Kyungsoo halts, feeling his courage slowly dwindle to almost nothing. Taking a few steps back, he rests against the wall, placing a palm against his chest to sooth the almost painful throbbing.

_I'm in love with Jongin._

Kyungsoo shakes his head.

_I'm in love with the prince._

The realization dawned on Kyungsoo the night Jongin asked him to dance. It's frightening, the idea itself, of falling in love with your best friend. In Kyungsoo's case, it was worse, falling in love with a prince.

It scared him, rendering him a coward to face the prince head on the past few days after the ball. If Jongin noticed the distance, he does not comment on it, simply acting his usual self around Kyungsoo, if not even more enthusiastic.

With his heart threatening to burst with the pent up emotion and not being able to tell anyone, Kyungsoo decided to turn to one of his closest friends. Yixing is a man of silence, choosing to listen instead and offer comforting smiles.

It is inevitable that he cries, wallowing at his own heart break. He pities himself, having no chance of even thinking past falling in love with the prince because of the realization itself - he has fallen in love with a prince. It is absurd; what could he, a lowly servant, have to offer a royal?

Yixing spends the remaining of the day cheering Kyungsoo up, offering to take his mind off of it by making him help around the gardens. Kyungsoo tries to avoid looking at the roses in full bloom knowing that every petal will just paint a memory of him and Jongin lounging their days hiding at these very same bushes.

_It's hard_ , Kyungsoo thinks, as he slowly takes a step forward until he's in front of the young heir's room.

_It is hard but it has to end_.

Knocking twice as customary, Kyungsoo slowly pushes the door open, blinking his eyes to adjust to the darkness of the room.

"My prince?" Kyungsoo calls out softly, darting his eyes everywhere and almost tripping in shock when a shadow moves from the corner.

"You scared me!" the shorter male chides, pressing a hand against his chest. He's been doing that a lot lately. "Why were you hiding in there?"

"No reason." Jongin says simply, walking around and sitting down at the edge of his bed, eyes never leaving Kyungsoo's figure.

Kyungsoo feels nervous under the scrutiny of the prince, the words he's practiced for hours going back down and making his stomach queasy.

Jongin smiles, a little bit sleepy and a lot endearing. It coaxes a smile out of Kyungsoo as well who momentarily forgets everything, too engrossed with the idea of Jongin and Kyungsoo, as he threads a hand through the messy locks of the young prince.

"Would you get mad if I," Kyungsoo starts, the words coming out now and there is nothing Kyungsoo could do to stop it. "ask to stop being your personal servant?"

The question dies down softly as Kyungsoo pulls his hand back, not meeting Jongin's gaze in case he sees anger, disappointment and resentment directed at him.

A soft _why?_ is all Jongin manages.

"I-" Kyungsoo hesitates, hearing nothing but his own heart drumming against his chest and pushing the words out slowly. "I feel that I am not able to do my best as your personal attendant anymore, my prince. And you," Kyungsoo finally looks up, a sad smile on his face as he faces Jongin's confused expression. "deserve nothing but the best, my prince."

"Soo-"

"I like you, Jongin." Kyungsoo blurts out, closing his eyes and preparing for the worst. "I like you and it is wrong."

Silence.

"Please spare me the suffering, your highness." the smaller male adds weakly.

Jongin does not speak and the only sound Kyungsoo could hear is his own heart beat screaming at him. He wants to run away in shame and embarrassment and everything else that is gut wrenching but Jongin chooses that time to tear all that apart as he cups Kyungsoo's cheeks with his two hands and forces the servant to look straight at him.

"Please repeat what you just said." Jongin whispers, voice low and quiet and almost lost. "Kyungsoo."

Kyungsoo is shaking, that much is evident, as he tries to look at anything - everything - else but Jongin.

"I thought I heard you say you like me." Jongin speaks again, closing his eyes and letting Kyungsoo breathe for a few seconds before he opens them again."I'm not dreaming, am I?"

This confuses Kyungsoo who finally meets Jongin's gaze. The prince's eyes are wide, bright with something Kyungsoo does not recognize or maybe he's just too scared to put a name to.

"Kyungsoo." Jongin coaxes Kyungsoo's attention back, unable to stop himself from smiling as he bumps his forehead against his best friend, chuckling slightly when he feels Kyungsoo tense up. "Kyungsoo. Kyungsookyungsookyungsoo."

Kyungsoo stays quiet, still very much confused at the way Jongin is acting. His confusion, however, is not enough to stop the butterflies in his stomach with the way he could count the other's eye lashes and feel his breath against his cheek.

And then Jongin takes a deep breath, eyes gazing deeply into Kyungsoo's own. "I like you, too."

The words were whispered so softly but for Kyungsoo, it sounded like a scream as he quickly pushes Jongin's hand away from him.

And then Kyungsoo runs.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kyungsoo avoids Jongin like a plague the following day, sending a different servant every time Jongin calls for him and carefully peeking at every corner before turning lest he stumbles upon the prince.

But it does not last for long, the sound of trumpets ringing loudly at the entrance hall, a signal that a visitor has arrived. Kyungsoo sighs, dragging his feet towards the entrance along with the rest of the attendants to welcome their guest.

Kyungsoo sees Jongin's back and he sneaks closer quietly, standing behind the prince and praying that the former would not turn around and see him.

When the doors open, Kyungsoo catches sight of the King welcoming the guests with a huge smile. He cranes his head higher and sees a familiar face from the annual royal ball  - Princess Joohyun, if he's not mistaken.

When Kyungsoo makes to pull back, he accidentally meets Jongin's eyes and almost trips if not for one of the maids catching his hand

"You've met my son, Jongin, is that correct?" the King addresses, smiling at a nodding Joohyun.

"It's a pleasure to have your acquiantance so soon again." Jongin says, ever the courteous prince.

Joohyun tones down her smile into a shy one, curtsying in front of the prince to which Jongin returns with a bow.

The King ushers Joohyun and Jongin to take a walk, show the princess around while the adults talk. This, of course, automatically means Kyungsoo is to follow the two young royals as they walk around and engage in conversation.

Jongin chuckles quite a few times and Kyungsoo does not miss the way Joohyun would tuck a hair behind her ear, cheeks flushing every time.

Kyungsoo is reminded of that time with Baekhyun as he starts to feel the tendrils of envy snake itself in his heart.

It's late in the afternoon when Kyungsoo excuses himself to get some snacks, passing by Yixing who cheerfully tucks a rose behind his ear. Kyungsoo shakes his head, reminding himself to take it off before returning to the sitting room where Jongin and Joohyun are still engage in conversation.

Holding the tray carefully, Kyungsoo carefully walks back to where the prince is, dreading another hour or more of watching Jongin make Joohyun blush. He knows Jongin is not doing it on purpose, having been natural at it since he was young.

_I'm not allowed to get jealous._ Kyungsoo reminds himself, feeling his heart stutter a beat when he remembers Jongin's confession last night. _No_.

Taking a deep breath, Kyungsoo walks closer, seeing Jongin pointing at something just a few steps away. He's about to announce his presence when he sees another figure approaching the two royals from the other side which, in closer inspection, is none other than Prince Baekhyun.

Before Kyungsoo could even wonder why the other prince is around, Baekhyun waves enthusiastically at him, pointing to his ear and grinning. Kyungsoo blushes, remembering the rose gingerly tucked behind his ear. He looks to the side and sees Jongin's wide eyed gaze directed at him.

_Badump!_

Along with the loud beat of his heart comes a gasp that almost makes Kyungsoo drop the tray in his hand, the Queen quickly rushing towards Jongin and Joohyun.

"I cannot believe you are two soul mates!" the Queen gushes out excitedly, holding Jongin's hand as she beams at Joohyun who has her eyes wide open, similar with Jongin's. "I must tell your mother immediately!"

Four sets of eyes look down to where Jongin's mark is visibly shining from below his thin white dress shirt and to Joohyun's mark shining brightly at the side of her neck. Watching from the sidelines, Kyungsoo feels his knees weaken, fingers twitching to grasp at his chest to sooth the sudden ache inside.

Baekhyun, unknowingly, feels the same thing.

 

 

 

 

 

 

News of Jongin and Joohyun being soul mates is quick to travel throughout the castle and just before night falls, almost everyone in the palace knows of it already.

Kyungsoo has been wandering the castle absentmindedly for a few hours now, quickly excusing himself after the event in the sitting hall and pretending he does not hear Jongin calling out his name.

"Why does it hurt so much?" he whispers to himself, coming to a stop when he reaches the top of the stairwell leading to an open balcony. The evening air is cold, biting at his skin but it's nothing compared to the painful feeling slowly eating him from the inside.

Thunder crackles just ahead of the castle, almost drowning the excited chatter and whispers of the people inside. He rubs at his eyes relentlessly until it hurts, willing the heat behind his lids to go away and leave him alone.

The ache does not go away even as Kyungsoo falls asleep outside, curling in on himself while wishing that the cold would be enough to numb his heart from the pain.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The next day is even worse, having to suffer a cold and headache while also listening to the maids talking about engagement preparations. He does not need to ask any further, knowing for whom the celebration will be.

"You look awful." a voice says to him and Kyungsoo turns to see Baekhyun waving at him albeit noticeably less cheery than yesterday.

"Your highness." he bows, immediately startling when he feels a palm against his forehead when he straightens up.

"You feel warm." Baekhyun mumbles, brows furrowing in worry and it's a look Kyungsoo has not seen yet; a look he greatly wishes to see from someone else. "You should be resting."

"Are you sick as well, your highness?" he asks softly, noticing the bags under Baekhyun 's eyes and the lack of his usual loud self. "Are you not able to sleep properly, prince Baekhyun? Is your room not to your liking?"

Baekhyun chuckles at this, pressing a hand to his chest which Kyungsoo notes is vaguely familiar and smiling sadly as if remembering something.

It's gone all too soon as Baekhyun reaches out a hand to ruffle his hair. "The one you should be worrying about is yourself. You look tired."

Kyungsoo says nothing, allowing the prince to do what he pleases.

"Prince Jongin has been going crazy looking everywhere for you." the prince eventually says as he pulls his hand back. "You should go to him."

Kyungsoo nods and bows once again before walking away, to where, he is not sure.

"And make sure to rest afterwards!" Baekhyun calls out behind him which makes him smile weakly.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jongin and Kyungsoo sees each other for the first time since yesterday during dinner. The atmosphere is joyous and it makes Kyungsoo feel guilty for not taking part in it as he avoids looking to where Jongin and Joohyun is sitting next to each other.

Unfortunately, Kyungsoo is weak, unable to look away when Joohyun angles her face slightly towards Jongin. They are whispering, he notices, as the prince nods to something Joohyun says. Kyungsoo's left hand presses his right hand down when he feels the need to rub at the ache on his chest again.

Then the King clears his throat, opening the discussion for the coming engagement of the two royals. It was plain torture, as Kyungsoo tries hard to tune out everything. Unable to put his hands over his ears, he settles for closing his eyes, a mistake when every sound seems to be suddenly amplified.

"Kyungsoo," a hand taps him on the cheek and he opens his eyes to the worried face of Seulgi, one of the Queen's attendants. "Are you not well?"

Kyungsoo sees Jongin glancing at him from the corner of his eye but he pays it no mind as he musters up a weak smile and shakes his head to the woman beside him.

As soon as the dinner ends, Kyungsoo bolts, steps quick as he tries to avoid Jongin was quick to stand up from his seat as well. He is not yet prepared to face the prince alone; to have his heart shatter once more as if it is not broken enough.

He's lost count of how many turns he has made, simply pushing his legs to go forward and as far away from Jongin as possible. In the distance, he hears the rumble of thunder and the flashes of lightning but it does not stop him from stepping outside the familiar balcony. The wind is harsher tonight, lashing and striking at his wounded heart.

It does not take long before a fat teardrop drops down from the sky, only taking seconds for it to turn into a heavy downpour. It makes Kyungsoo laugh, a bitter sound lost amidst the loud noise of the falling rain. He takes his chance, opening his mouth to let out a broken sob as he breaks down in the comfort of nature.

His knuckles are white when he rubs them hard against his chest, the pain increasing tenfold with every cry. A fresh set of tears flows down his cheek to which the rain gladly accompanies, mixing until it's lost in the puddle of Kyungsoo's misery.

He startles when a hand wraps around his elbow, tugging him to the side until he is back in the castle hall, frame thoroughly soak to the bone and incredibly out of place in the otherwise warm corridor.

When he looks up, Kyungsoo is met with Jongin's hard gaze, expression shrouded by the shadow from the castle's lamps. His heart starts beating faster and he's not certain if it is because he is scared or simply because Jongin is right in front of him.

Or both.

Kyungsoo waits and waits, his wet clothes clinging to him and making everything colder, but Jongin speaks nothing. The prince is just staring at him, hand still wrapped around Kyungsoo's elbow and not budging.

It is the voices around the corner, too soft but gradually growing louder, that finally wakes Kyungsoo up from his stricken state. He tries pulling his arm back, desperately pleading with Jongin through his actions. He breathes a sigh of relief when Jongin relents, freeing his hold on his arm only to wrap it around his hand instead, tugging him forward.

Kyungsoo tries to avoid tripping as Jongin practically drags him deeper into the castle. His heart beat does not slow down and instead goes faster when he recognizes the familiar path they are taking and soon enough, the door to Jongin's room comes to view.

"Jongin, please." he begs weakly, trying to pry the fingers around his. His plea is verging into a sob, still trying to run away even as they enter the room and door closes behind the two of them.

Finally, Jongin lets his hand go.

"Why are you running away from me?" is the only thing that comes out of the prince's mouth yet it makes Kyungsoo still in his place.

After a few silent seconds, the smaller male slowly lifts his head and looks at the prince.

Jongin's face is contorted in pain, his eyes red rimmed as he stares at Kyungsoo. Kyungsoo wishes to wipe the frown off the other's face, to stop the hurt but how could he do that to someone else when he could not even stop himself from hurting.

"My prince," Kyungsoo whispers, a hand hesitantly reaching up. Jongin closes his eyes just as Kyungsoo's finger touches his cheek, shaky and uncertain. "Why do you hurt yourself so?"

Jongin grasps at Kyungsoo's hand, pressing the other's palm against his cheek. "I am in love with you."

Kyungsoo could not stop the soft sob, raising his other hand so he's cupping the prince's cheeks in between his palms. "This is wrong, Jongin."

"But I love you!" Jongin argues, voice loud enough to be heard over the rain and eyes frantically searching Kyungsoo's. "I love you and that is the only thing that matters!"

In another life, Kyungsoo might have given everything just to hear Jongin say those words to him. But alas, this is no alternate universe, only the reality where Kyungsoo was born to serve Jongin, nothing more and nothing less.

"I know you love me too." Jongin's voice is pleading as he takes hold of Kyungsoo's hand, holding them against his chest. "We both know the truth but why do you still run from me?"

"I am your servant." Kyungsoo finally says in the loudest voice he could muster with the tears finally flowing freely down his cheeks. "You are my prince and you- you have your soul mate out there, waiting for you."

The thought of Joohyun alone, waiting for Jongin's return brings envy coiled with pain and guilt inside him.

Looking up, he allows Jongin to see him at his weakest state; to see him smile through the tears. "We can never be together, my prince."

There is a sob that Kyungsoo almost mistakes for his own just before he feels himself being pushed backward until his back hits the wall, Jongin's figure towering over him.

"Y-Your highness?" he stutters, the tears momentarily stopping as he stares wide eyed at his best friend.

"I don't care."

Jongin meets his gaze, eyes glassy with unshed tears but still blazing with something that steals Kyungsoo's breath away.

_Badump!_

Kyungsoo makes to argue but the words are stolen right out of his mouth when Jongin surges forward, pressing a searing kiss against his parted lips.

Suddenly, the coldness clinging to him through his wet clothes disappear, replaced by the heat of Jongin pressing kiss after kiss against his mouth. Kyungsoo's head is spinning, his own hands trapped alongside with Jongin in between them. He feels his strength leave him as Jongin's kisses remain relentless, sucking the air and fight out of him.

"I am so in love with you." Jongin whispers when they separate long enough to breathe. Kyungsoo eyes him in a daze, taking a lungful of air repeatedly.

Jongin is by no means in a better state, his own mouth parted as he pants against Kyungsoo's own and their lips almost touching with just the smallest of movement.

"I love you." the prince whispers just before he presses another kiss against Kyungsoo's again, this one gentle and weak, almost begging for the other to love him back too.

A tear falls down Kyungsoo's cheek when he moves forward the tiniest bit, returning the kiss with a speck of hesitation. He knows he is subjecting himself to more pain, letting himself have a taste of something that could never be his. But who does not long for love even if the price is a broken heart?

When Kyungsoo pulls his hand back, Jongin allows him, letting it slip out of his grasp and gasping when Kyungsoo places them on his cheek and breaks the kiss.

"I do love you." Kyungsoo finally says, closing his eyes and letting himself fall over the cliff, accepting the pain that would surely follow in exchange for his own short little slice of happiness. " I love you, Jongin."

Something heavy permeates the air as Jongin kisses him, a wobbly smile all throughout against Kyungsoo's lips. Kyungsoo mimics him, a flicker of doubt that soon disappears as he shyly hooks his arm around the prince's shoulders. A tear drop mixes in between their kiss and Kyungsoo pretends not to notice the bitter aftertaste, so similar to his own fate.

The kisses does not stop and it renders Kyungsoo unaware of anything else but Jongin, one of his hand sliding down to press against the prince's chest. The two of them so engrossed with each other, failing to see the slight glow underneath the prince's shirt where Kyungsoo's hand rests.

It does not take long before Kyungsoo's wet clothes are discarded and he feels the silk sheets of Jongin's bed caressing his back. The color red suffuses his cheeks, his neck and his whole body as Jongin unabashedly stares at him.

"Do not hide yourself from me." Jongin whispers, letting his hand wander down, down at the expanse of white skin until it rests loosely on Kyungsoo's hips. He lets his thumb trace the skin on Kyungsoo's left hip, feeling as if something is missing but he does not dwell in it further when a whimper escapes the male underneath him, stealing all of the prince's attention.

There is a weak tug on his shirt, Jongin seeing Kyungsoo's shy expression before he sees the pale hand picking at the edge of his clothes. The prince grins, heart thumping wildly against his chest as he sheds every piece of clothing he has on.

Kyungsoo's touches are feather light against Jongin's skin, the former marveling at how gorgeous the prince really is. He traces Jongin's mark on his chest, his own heart constricting because it is both beautiful and painful - a reminder of what could never be his.

Jongin seems to sense the ache in Kyungsoo's touches, stealing the other's attention with more kisses. He leads a path down to Kyungsoo's cheek and then to his neck, tongue peeking out the slightest bit to which Kyungsoo moans every time.

Every sound that comes out of Kyungsoo's mouth only serves as fuel for Jongin to continue, bestowing multitude of kisses on the smaller's hips and sucking a mark on the left.

The night goes deeper with every moan and whimper Kyungsoo makes; with every groan Jongin emits as he pushes in between the gap of Kyungsoo's thighs.

There is a moment of nothing, only the pants from the two males blanketed by the glow of the moon peeking from the window.

"Are you fine?" Jongin whispers, nudging his nose against Kyungsoo's and pressing another faint kiss on his lips. "Are you hurt?"

Kyungsoo shakes his head with a weak smile, parting his lips and breathing out just before he arches his back, reveling in the groan Jongin lets out.

Jongin's body envelops Kyungsoo as he moves, surging forward and basking in the moans tumbling out of his lover's mouth unashamedly. With every sound, he feels himself coming undone, pushing in faster and snaking a hand in between them to pleasure the smaller male as well.

"Ah!" a sharp intake of breath, Kyungsoo's voice cracking in the middle of a moan and then Jongin feels something warm seep through the gaps of his fingers.

"Jongin." Kyungsoo pants, weakly moving against him which elicits a loud groan from Jongin.

The prince struggles to keep his eyes open, wanting to tattoo the image of Kyungsoo with his eyes full of nothing but love and affection and want - all for him.

"I love you." Jongin whispers softly as if telling the world's greatest secret. "So much."

The words bring fresh tears to Kyungsoo's eyes, hands struggling to cup Jongin's cheek but failing as the pleasure spikes up with every surge of the prince's hips against his.

"Jongin." Kyungsoo says the prince's name instead, feeling a moment of boldness as he reaches for the male on top of him.

Jongin responds by curling himself closer, pressing against the person he loves the most and feeling their heart beat in sync with each other.

The prince murmurs a jumble of words as he burrows deeper into the male underneath him, wanting to be the closest yet never enough.

With every hastened move, Kyungsoo squirms beneath him, gasping and overwhelmed.

Jongin grunts, feeling himself falling off the edge. He brushes his lips against Kyungsoo's before pressing an open mouthed kiss on them, swallowing every gasp of his lover.

Breaking the kiss, Jongin cries out as he stills deep into the only person he would ever love.

There is a gorgeous flush on Kyungsoo's cheek when he finally open his eyes to look at Jongin, unaware of closing them in the first place. He feels the warmth down where they are still joined and he flushes darker, darting his eyes away from his lover.

Jongin grins tiredly and slumps against Kyungsoo, hugging the male tightly against him briefly before pulling away to lay beside him. Kyungsoo smiles at him weakly, tugging him closer once more and pressing a kiss against his sweaty cheek.

_Badump!_

With nothing to cover their nudity, the bright glow on Jongin's chest does not go unnoticed, Kyungsoo carefully touching a finger to it in awe and confusion. Jongin follows his gaze as well, confusion and excitement bluring into one another as he sees something else glowing in between them.

Sitting up, Jongin traces Kyungsoo's hip with his finger, eyes wide as he takes in the warm glow from the other's skin.

A rose.

It is a mark he has seen somewhere and realization dawns on Jongin, a small bubble of hope and possibility.

"Jongin?" Kyungsoo's worried voice breaks through his trance and Jongin quickly turns to look at his ĺover who looks scared and lost. "What is happening?"

Mustering enough sense to calm himself, Jongin kisses Kyungsoo over and over again, murmuring words of assurances and love.

 

 

 

 

 

 

It is barely dawn but Jongin rushes out of his room with nothing but a thin white undershirt and loose pants, footsteps loud against the silent hallways before coming to a halt just outside of the King's personal library.

Breathing deeply, he thinks of Kyungsoo sleeping back in his room and in his bed and what he would give to have that every single day of his life. 

With that in mind and a small bud of hope, Jongin pushes the door open, wincing at the creaking sound the wood makes before walking inside and stopping right in front of one particular portrait.

_That is why they look familiar_ , Jongin realizes, taking no more chances and walking quickly towards his parents' room while nurturing the growing hope inside his chest.

"Son?" the Queen asks in confusion, tugging her robe tighter against her body as she tries to make sense of Jongin knocking at the wee hours of the morning.

"Jongin?" the King's voice follows, gruff and very much at lost as well.

"The portrait in your library," Jongin pants, eyes wide as he looks at his mother and then at his father. "Who are they?"

The couple stares at each other in confusion before understanding dawns on them. The King sits up, wrapping himself with his robe and taking the queen's side.

"Our friends," the Queen answers softly, "the late King and Queen Do."

"Did they have a child?" Jongin quickly asks, eyes still flicking back and forth between his parents. "Their royal symbol - is it a rose?"

The queen and king glances at each other, at lost as to why Jongin is asking these questions. There is a bright glint on their son's eyes, something wild and hopeful which only leads to more confusion.

"Yes, their crest is a rose." the King answers this time, now wide awake. "And they had a son but unfortunately, the boy was taken away from them when he was just a babe and was never found."

"Which soon drove them to such anguish." the Queen adds, a sad smile on her face. "They were very dear friends."

"But why these sudden questions, my son?"

It feels like Jongin's heart stutters to a stop at the information, hearing nothing else as his hand comes up to gently rub at his chest where his heart seems to finally get its bearing back and starts to beat like crazy.

"I found my soul mate." he blurts out.

"Yes, sweetie, we know-"

"No!" Jongin cuts his mother off, mumbling a soft apology quickly almost immediately. "My real soul mate."

Both the Queen and King fixes Jongin with a stare full of confusion.

"I love Kyungsoo."

"But Jongin-"

And then everything clicks.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kyungsoo feels three sets of eyes staring at him as he sits in a tense matter inside the castle's sitting room.

He startles when the couch dips beside him as Jongin takes his place next to him, placing a comforting hand on his knee.

"Is it really true?"

The queen is the first to speak, her eyes glassy as she walks closer towards Kyungsoo. Reaching out a hand, she caresses his cheek tenderly, pressing her lips together.

"Why have I not seen it before?" she asks herself, glancing at the King briefly before returning her attention back to Kyungsoo. "You look so much like your mother."

"May we see your mark?" the King's voice is gentle, nodding at Kyungsoo with encouragement.

Kyungsoo swallows his nerves, jolting a bit when he feels Jongin hold his hand in silent support. He nods, lifting the hem of his shirt the slightest bit and baring the faint mark on his hip.

The queen muffles a sob with her palm, finally closing the distance between them and hugging Kyungsoo close.

Jongin smiles from the side albeit he's not yet completely relaxed, mind still thinking about the way his own mark glowed alongside Joohyun's back then. He does not voice it out.

"How," the Queen asks, sitting on Kyungsoo's other side and not letting go of his hand. "How did you end up here, Kyungsoo?"

Kyungsoo relays the story of how he was raised by a man who just happened to pass by a deserted road and picking up a baby along the way. He was left there with no one, nothing but a small blanket to his name. 

The queen muffles a sob again, unable to imagine the suffering Kyungsoo must have been through.

"I grew up being loved, my Queen." Kyungsoo attempts to comfort the woman beside him with a weak smile. "My father," Kyungsoo pauses, "He treated me like his own son. I'm happy to have grew up surrounded by kind and loving people."

The last sentence is spoken fondly, Kyungsoo glancing briefly at Jongin who flushes a bit.

Jongin stays quiet the whole time, content with holding Kyungsoo's other hand as he allows his father and mother to tell Kyungsoo everything about his true parents.

Throughout it all, Jongin did not let go of Kyungsoo's hand, wiping at his tears every time it gets too much. He watches the light in the other's eyes every time his parents would tell them about how in love Kyungsoo's father and mother are and how they cried tears of happiness when they were blessed with Kyungsoo.

"Your parents would be very happy." the King whispers, eyes tender as he gazes at Kyungsoo fondly.

Kyungsoo could only cry in response.

 

 

 

 

 

 

"But Joohyun," Kyungsoo mumbles after an eventful dinner where he was introduced for who he really is. There is a slight ache at the mention of her name. Is there a possibility of having two soul mates? Kyungsoo could not bear to think of sharing Jongin let alone not having him at all.

"I know." Jongin smiles weakly, already aware of what is going on inside the other's head. He hugs him close, pressing a kiss against the crown of his head as a form of comfort.

They thread the hallway in silence, both worried of tomorrow and for the possibilities that could happen.

"I still don't care." Jongin whispers as they walk forward hand in hand. "When I told you before, that I don't care. I still mean it."

Jongin fixes him with a stare full of longing. "My heart beats and will only beat for you." 

Kyungsoo nods, throat too tight to speak and heart too full with love for the man holding his hand and his heart.

"Thank you, your highness."

Jongin stops walking, nudging Kyungsoo with his elbow. "Jongin."

Kyungsoo blushes and nods, still not completely used to the fact that they are now threading the same world. "Thank you, Jongin."

 

 

 

 

 

 

It took another few days before Prince Baekhyun bursts inside the castle, a panicky Joohyun in tow as she apologizes for the prince's rash behavior.

"We are the ones destined!" the young prince announces, grasping at Joohyun's hand who bows her head shyly though the red could still be seen at the tip of her ears.

There is a lot of commotion before everything is clarified. Both Joohyun and Jongin were able to see their own soul mates at that time however, unaware of where the other's attention were, they thought that their marks glowed because of each other. Joohyun with Baekhyun and Jongin completely enamored with Kyungsoo who appeared with a rose tucked behind his ear.

 

There is embarrassment and apologies thrown, the Queen herself apologizing for she was the one who immediately jumped to a conclusion. It makes Kyungsoo redden, having to assure her that no harm was done, keeping quiet of the excruciating pain he felt during those times.

"So when do you want to have your engagement announced?" the Queen asks one morning, the threads of excitement weaving itself in her voice.

Jongin excuses himself and drags Kyungsoo to the stables, leaving only laughter for his mother who pouts at them.

"Do you not want to be with me?"

Jongin turns his head towards Kyungsoo who refuses to meet his eyes, staring straight ahead to where Mango and Comet are busy eating grass.

"That's absurd." Jongin answers, taking Kyungsoo's hand into his own and pressing a soft kiss on his knuckles. "I always want to be with you, every time and in every way possible."

This earns him a red faced Kyungsoo who finally smiles at him.

"If this is about the engagement," Jongin starts, knowing he has hit the jackpot when Kyungsoo looks away in shame. "Is it too much if I say that I want you all to myself first?"

Kyungsoo finally looks at him in confusion.

"Once it is announced, we will both be so busy preparing for the event and everyone will want to have your time," Jongin explains, his turn to look away from Kyungsoo's stare. "I just want to have you all to myself for just a little longer."

"I love you." Jongin says out of the blue, fishing out a rose from behind and fixing it behind Kyungsoo's ear.

_Badump!_

Kyungsoo does not hide his face when he blushes, beaming at Jongin - his soul mate. "I love you too."

Jongin grins, stealing a quick kiss before tugging Kyungsoo to stand up, their hearts beating in tandem with each other.

"My heart beats and will only beat for you." Kyungsoo whispers the exact words Jongin said before.

Jongin answers Kyungsoo with a searing kiss.

_Badump!_

The two ended up running away again when the Queen comes looking for them, this time with an exasperated King in tow.

At least they won't have to run away from the way their hearts beat anymore.

In sync, their hearts glow.

 

 

 

 

 

 

_The End._


End file.
